Apparatus for classifying and separating particles of materials of different specific gravities



2,353,543 APPARATUS FOR CLASSIFYING AND SEPARATING PARTICLES OF July 11, 1944- J. A. BRUSSET MATERIALS OF DIFFERENT SPECIFIC GRAVITIES Filed April 13, 1942 3 Sheet$-Shaet l y 1944- J. A. BRUSSET 2,353,543

APPARATUS FOR GLASSIFYING AND SEPARATING PARTICLES OF MATERIALS OF DIFFERENT SPECIFIC GRAVITIES Filed April 15, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 w 7 u M 7 w! a a w a a a y .3 m mk w 0 a "w (4 a M am W w 0 July 11, 1944. A ss 2,353,543

APPARATUS FOR CLASSIFYING AND SEPARATING PARTICLES OF MATERIALS OF DIFFERENT SPECIFIC GRAVITIES Filed April 13, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 9 2,241,842, granted May 13.19741.

Patented July 11, 1944 OFFICE RATING PAITICLII OI MATERIALS 0' DIFFERENT SPECIFIC onsvrrms Jean Albert Brassehllairmere, Y Applied)! All! 13, 1.43, No. stasis 10 Claims. ici. see-m) Thisinvention relates to improvements in process and apparatus for classifying and separating mixtures of particles of materials ofdii'lerent specific gravitiea and particularly to improvements in the apparatus and process described and claimed in myprior United States Patent No.

It is an object of the present invention to provide for better separation of mixtures including gritty and sticky components. which have heretofore presenwddiiliculties, by providing more positive and energetic action. effecting a separatory translational movement of the heavier components to a discharge sons remote from the discharge zone for thelight particles and intermediate weight particles or middlinss.

Another object is to provide for the separation or the mixture into a light product. a middlings product and a heavy product and to provide novel means eilective to impart translational movement in opposite directions to the middlings and heavy products and to aeparately estract the same at different points.

Another object of, the invention is to provide" the'interior of the 1mm partition 'w'su' II. and

" throudh'it to the beneath. through valved openings ll and II, respectively, which are opened and closed by a double-acting swinging ilap valve I! mounted within the hollow wall.

The upper end of the housing ll is closed by a semi-cylindrical shell or can it which extends longitudinally of the housing and is centered with respect to the partition wall II and the classifying chambers II and ll. The inner surface of I the shell ll forms a working surface fora double will be disclosed in the following detailed descrlption with ref "to the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention. In the drawings:

Pig. 1 is a side elevation of a preferred embodi merit of the invention, with parts in section,

Fig. 2 is an end elevation with parts in section on line 1-2 of Pia. l,

rig; is is asectional emu on anenlarged scale,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation, with parts broken away and in section, showing a modified form of deck driving means,

Fig. 5 is an end viswof control means on Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is a side elevation. with'parts broken and is closed at its upper end but opens at its;

lower end into thespaoe H in the lower portion oi thehousing II which extends beneath both separating chambers. The separating chambers I! and "are in controlled communication with acting oscillating piston in the form of a pivoted wing ilwhichisweldedalongoneedgetoarock shaft 2| mounted at the upper end or the partition ll; 'I'herock shaft II is iournalled at its endsinbearings II and 22 carrledby the end walls 28 and 24, respectively, of the housing II and is provided at one end with a crank arm II which is connected through a link it and eccentric 21 to the power shaft I. which is power driven as by an electric motor. not shown. Suitable means are provided for varying the eilective Iengthofthearmflandstrokeoftheeccentric IHnordertosdlustthestrokeofthewihgpiston ll to-suit varying conditions encountered in the operation of the apparatus The wing piston is preferably formed of spaced metal sheets ll with twoor more steel blades II secured between them. This construction produces a cascade seal oitour ioints between theedgeoithe piston andthe innerwall of.thesemicylindrical cap it which forms the walls of the double-acting pimp and the seal thus eflected permits a clearance of about is of an inch be tweenthe pistonjand wall to avoid wear due to dust atmosphere within the chamber while providing an eillcient seal.

Mounted in each of the -compartments i2 and I3 is a pervious support for a bed of materials to be processed, the supports beins in the former inclined decks ii and 8!, respectively, mounted on ball bearings It for reciprocation in their own planes. The decks ll and 82 are formed of perforated sheet metal or stepped formation providing slanting laces It upwardly inclined toward the high end of the decks and steep, substantially me by depending arms a rigidly attached to the decks for imparting the slow forward motion thereto. The accelerated return or backward motion of the decks'is under the, influence of resilient rubber blocks ll whichact as springs to urge the decks to the retracted position. The rubber blocks are mounted between brackets "a on the decks and a stationary part of the casing. The cams 30 are identical except that they are adlusted'on the drive shaft III with one rotated 180 with respect to the other so that the decks reciprocate in opposite phase. The cams 36 are provided with a profile having a gradually rising portion II which imparts the slowmovemen't to the decks in the forward or upward direction and a sharply falling portion 42 at the top of the portion ll which permits rapid retum-of the decks under action of the resilient rubber blocks 30..

The cams 38 run in an oil bath in casings 43 and the arms ll extend into the casings 43 through flexible rubber seals 44 which prevent dust and dirt from reaching the working surfaces of the decks by upstanding flanges 50 carried at the,

edges of the :decks and cooperating depending sealing flanges I, mounted on the casing walls and on wall I I, which overlap the lips 50.v Air seals at the ends of the decks comprise flat flanges I! mounted along the bottom edges of openings 63 and 54 in the end walls 58 and 58 of the casing through which the ends of the decks project. The decks at the ends thereof are formed with flat imperforate under surfaces parallel to and in close proximity to the flanges 52. a

Adlacent the lower, or right-hand ends of the decks, as viewed in the drawings, the stepped surfaces thereof terminate in middlings discharge slots or channels '1. The upper ends of the channels are disposed beneath inwardly inclined strike-oi! plates SI which are mounted at the ends of the deck frames and are vertically adjustable with respect to the surface of the decks to control the depth of the passage between the lower edgethereof and the surface of the decks and thus the amount and quality of the middlings cut.

The middlings discharge channels I! each discharge into a discharge tube 59 to which they are connected by a flexible connection Cl, and the discharge tubes are provided withstar extractors 6| providing an air seal. The star wheels "of the extractors II are driven by adjustable pawl and ratchet drives 83 driven. by a cam 84, link I, bell crank 86 and link I! from the shaft I. By adjusting the points of connection of the links 65 and 61 on the bell crank the throw of the pawls and thus the speed or rotation of the middlings discharge extractors is varied to regulate the rate of middlings discharge. By adjusting the volume of middlings discharged by extractors iii the depth of the lower coal bed containing the middlings is correspondingly controlled. Increasing the volume of middlings discharged will result in removal of a greater portion of the lower bed through the m ddlings discharge channel 51, resulting in a middlings cut of lower ash content, while decreasing the volume will result in remova1 of a lesser portion, resulting ins. middlings cut of higher ash content.

The lighter materials, clean'coal in the case of coal separation, are discharged over the strike-on plates 58 at the lower end of the decks into discharge channels 68 mounted on the housing II and likewise each equipped with a star extractor O! to provide an air seal preventing passage of air into the chambers l2 and II through the outlet passages.

The heavy tailings or refuse, which during operation of the machine travel upwardly along the decks due to the reciprocating action and stepped formation thereof, pass over the upper ends of the decks into discharge channels 10, also each equipped with a star extractor 1i providing an air seal. The star extractors l9 and II in the clean coal and refuse discharge channels 68 and 10, respectively, are preferably driven by chain drives 12 and II from shaft 40 at a speed calculated to discharize the maximum amount of material to be handled thereby so as to prevent undue backing up of coalor refuse in the respective discharge channels;

In order to'provide for adjustment of the slope of the decks to suit requirements for handling various types of mixtures, the housing i0 is formed in two main parts. The lower part 14 comprising the base and dust hoppers i5 is stationary while the upper part 16, mounting the decks and other operative mechanism is tiltable on the lower part about a horizontal pivotal axis" at the righthand end of the apparatus, substantially coincident with the axis of the'shaft 18 of middlings star extractors 6i. At the opposite end the stationary part 14 carries at each side a bracket 19 mounting a jack screw 80 and the tiltable part 16 carries at each side a bracket H for cooperation with jack'nuts 82 threaded on the respective jack screwsJ The jack screw arrangement pro vdes for adjustment of the tilt of the upper casing half over a range of about 6 so that the decks II and 32 which are mounted in the upper half with an initial slope of about 4 are adjustable over a range of slopes of from 4 to 10.

In order to seal the meeting edges of the upper and lower parts of the casing, the lower half is provided with a U-shaped channel 83 along the upper edge thereof'which is lined with felt 84, or the like and the lower edge of the upper half is fitted withinthe channel in contact with the felt lining therein.

During the operation of the apparatus, a small amount of air will be drawn through the beds on the decks from. the space underneath, which if allowed to accumulate above the beds would soon affect the value of the reduced pressure produced on the suction stroke of the wing piston II. The excess air thus drawn through the beds at each stroke of the piston is returned to the common space beneath the decks by means of the relief valve i! and hollow partition ii. preferably formed of a thick piece of rubber carried on a rock shaft 8! which is actuated from the piston shaft 20. As seen in Fig. 3, an upstanding arm 86 is mounted onthe end of the shaft II and is provided at its upper end with a U-shaped yoke 88' which straddles the end of the rock shaft 20. A cam finger 88 is keyed on the end of the rock shaft 20 and the arms of the yoke 8. are provided with adjustable stops 89 and which are engaged by the finger at to shift the valve H in synchronism with the motion of the The valve is shaft 20 and wing piston is so that it is closed during the latter part of the compression stroke greaterot; the suction: stroke and is thenvopened .during. the

and remains CIOleiliI-i'iflbth' latter part ofthe suction-strokeon eachisidew.

'I'hemixedmateriahto be classifledilssiedwinto -1: 1

each stratifying. chamber from. hoppers...tl

through chutes l2 which'deliverthe material-.onto

distributing :trays N mounted on the. respective decksll and 32 in elevated position aboutone-- thirdoi the length oi the decks fromthe .upper ends thereof. The trays ll areopen onzthewside.

facing .the upper end of the decks andmixed material fed .onto .the :trays -through chutes Ill-is spread onto the beds on the decks as the same falls from the. open side of the trays due to the recipro cating motion thereof.

The drive to the reciprocating decks II and 32. is timed with respect to the oscillation ofthe wing. s 'Pflton I] andthe inclination otthe decks is such. 'that at the beginning of the upstroke of thepiston in relation to one compartment, the deck in that compartment is movingln the direction of the high end thereof and whenthe suction stroke has progressed to the point at which thegreatest vacuum is produced above the bed, the deck will be moved rapidly in the opposite direction; Dun-q ing the latter part of the suction stroke. and during the return stroke of the piston. the deck will again. be moved slowly in the direction of the high end. This timing and action of the deck and piston causes the heavier materialto travel against the force of gravity toward the high. end of the decks. The reasonfor this isthat the heavier material stratifles into a lower layer in frictional contact with the decks, but during the portion of the suction stroke at whichthe greatest vacuum is produced and during which the lighter constituents areiifted, the deck is kicked away from under the lower'layer as the deck.

moves quickly in the-direction of itslower end. The bed then falls back into full contact with the deck and by frictional contact therewith: the heavy under layer moves with the deck towardthe high end thereof as the cam moves the deck for! wardly slowly, with no tendency oi the heavy'materials to slide toward the lightmaterialsextrac- As the heavier material travels toward the-high...

end or the decks it passes under a 1 Me weir N, which acts as a stop. for. lightermaa terial 3 in the upper layer, and discharges over the upper edge of the decks into the delivery-chute II. ,The lighter and middling material,.which rises in the beds and isthus not sublectedeto the frictional action of the decks, travels toward: the 1 lower end oi the latter and discharges respective: ly under and over the strike-ofl' plates delivery chutes I1 and ll."

II into. the

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5 wherein a modifled;

formoi' drive for the decks II." andnfl: isx-illuse trated, a connecting. rod. fastened wane and c of the deck extends through a seal. Ill in.,.,theq-.,- casing. wall into a cylinder lllxand is connected-- to a piston. lllslidable within-the cylinder. The

cylinder is provided with fluid pressure admission;

valve Ill and exhaust valve mi" controlledby cams. IN'and ll'hrespectively driven from.:the.;

shaft 20." The pistonl'li is moved by fluid pres-.

sure against a spring lllintheend of'the cylin-. derto move the deck in one direction and-upon 1..

relief of fluid pressureto springreturns .the piston and deck in the other direction. Fluid pressures (which maybe air, or. a liquid under pressure,

supplied to admission valve I" through a line Ill connected to a suitable source,-notahown, and

flows oil from exhaust valve ll! throughsa line a short period: correspondingto the desiredportion ofthevacuum-period above the deck thereby causing a rapidtmotionaof. the deck .toward its lower end and compressingthe spring 1083 The valve 1. thengcloseswand the relief. .valve I". is. opened .by camwlll to relievethe i'luidpressure withinthe cylinder. The reliefv offluidpressure from the cylinder is gradual as compared with its admission sothatthe spring I" returnsthe deck.

and pistonmore slowly. in the .upward direction. The return motion may be made as slow asrequired by varying the shape; of the cam to regulatethe amount of openingct the roller .valveso that the fluid escaping thereirom causesthe pistonandcylinder to act as a dashpot tozslow the return of the piston under the influence of the spring.,.

Anelectrically operated difl'erential' drive is shownin Fig.3. In' this embodiment of the invention the deckIlis connected bya rod!" to I oneaarmllli of. a .-bell. crank lever Ill, theother armor. which, iorms'the armature III .of electromagnetic coils .204 the .energization; of which is controlled by mercury tilt switch llloperated in timed relation to the shaft llisoythat the. deck is rapidly moved in: the direction of its lower end upon energization of electromagnets .duringthe desired portion of-the vacuumiperiodabovethe deck- The deck isreturned by a'spring Ill-and its motion is slowed by a dash-pot III, the piston or which is mounted on the connecting rod-Ill.

An adJustableoutlet "US-controls the action of. the dash-pot. A rubber stop block 2" for the arm "Iv-and the strengthoi sprtngulll'controi the. length of. stroke imparted. by the .electrom a'net.

Theconstructionand operation of the' remaintug-portions of the modifled apparatus ofxFigs.

4 to6 is'otherwise-the same as that of the -pre-" ferrediormandiorzthis reason only so much of r the. apparatus has. been illustrated as deemed-n necessary to aflord a clear understanding of the alternative drives. Although-the drive for only onedeck is shown-in Figs. 4 to .8, it will'be understood=that the drives are duplicated for the other deck in. a .double unit.

tion "hasbeen described and shown by wayrof example; it will-be understood that various modiflcations in. the details of construction: and opera- 1 .tion may. be resorted: towithout departingfrom the" spirit of; the invention within the appendedclaims.

I claim:

the scope of- 1. In; apparatus for CIMiIYlRIJQ mixture of .umateriala aocording-tospeciflc gravit'yya closed compartment, a reciprocating inclined. stepped.

deckpmountedwin" said compartment withthe faces-of the. steps thereof facing thehigher end thereof, meansior establishing successivel vacthe opposite. *direction I intimed relation to the a whi h: may-.Je-open-Jo. lmhln'uime. praasadrairlsiussdoamayieadatova lcw=preasun sumpu-ifnoiiwortother. .liquidis :emplayedxas pressure .riiuidi. Thee-contour .anddispositiom of...

1 the camsJ lli'lndu; l "#is such that the .decks on eachzsidemill be. driven in timedrrelation: to the operationxofsthe.pistonrandnwith adifler'ential. motion asdescribed-more particularly heretofore. InWthe. operative .cycle, the valve I a is .opened 1 swidetoaadmit fluid pressure. intothe. cylinder for Although a preferred. embodiment of. the inven- .uumrandpressure conditionsabove the deck, and meansfor imparting reciprocating motion to said deck; said means effective to advance said deck: relatively :slowlydn the-facing direction .otthe. steps: thereof and; to retractthe deck rapidly ,in

I movement ofheavy particles in establishment of said vacuum and pressure conditions above the d eck,the timing being correlated so thatthe retraction of said deck occurs 7 during. the establishment or vacuum condition above the deck whereby theretractionflof the deck is eifected without producing retrograde ii. In apparatus for classifying a-mixture of materials according to specific gravity. a clo'sed compartment, a reciprocating inclined stepped deck mounted in said compartment with the faces of the steps facing the higher end thereof,

means for establishing successively vacuum and pressure conditions above said deck, and means a for imparting differentialreciprocating motion tosaid deck in the plane thereof in-timed relation to. establishmentoi said vacuum and pressure conditions said means comprising cam means for advancing said deck relatively slowly in the direction of the higher end thereof and resilient means for returning said deck quickly in the opposite direction the timing of the motion of said deck to the establishment of vacuum and pressure conditions above the deck being such that the quick return motion of the deck occurs during the vacuum period above the deck :whereby the return motion of the deck is offected vvithr'rut. producing retrograde movement of heavy particles in contact with the deck.

contact with for driving said cam means in timed relation to the means for establishing vacuum and pressure conditions above the deck to effect the quick return motion of the deck during the establishment of. vacuum conditions above the deck whereby the retraction of the deck is eifected without producing retrograde movement of heavy particles in contact with the deck. I g

1 6. In apparatus for classifying a mixture of materials according to specific gravity. a .closed compartment, a reciprocating inclined stepped deck mounted in said compartment with the faces of the steps facing the higher end thereof, means for establishing successively vacuum and pressure conditions above said deck, means for imparting differential. reciprocating motion to said deck in the plane thereof, said means comprising fluid pressure means for moving said deck rapidly in the direction of the lower end thereof,

3. In apparatus for classifying a mixture of a materials according to specific emits. a closed means for retarding the return motion of the e. In apparatus for classifying a mixture of materials according to specific gravity.aclosed compartment. a. reciprocating inclined stepped deck mounted in said compartment with. the

faces of the steps facing the higher end thereof,

means for establishing successively vacuum and pressure conditions above said deck, means for imparting diflsrential reciprocating motion to said deck in the plane thereof in timed relation to establishmentof said vacuum and pressure conditions said means comprising electromag netic means for moving saiddeck rapidly in the resilient means for returning the deck in the opposite direction and means for retarding the return motion of the deck, and means for controlling actuation of said fluid pressure means in timed relation to the means for establishing vacuum and pressure conditions above the deck.

7. In apparatus for classifying a mixture of materials according to specific gravity, a closed compartment, a reciprocating inclined stepped deck mounted in said compartment with the faces of the steps facing the higher end thereof, means for establishing successively vacuum and pressure conditions above said deck. means for imparting differential reciprocating motion to said deck in the plane thereof said means comprising electromagnetic means for moving said deck rapidly in the direction of the lower end thereof, resilient means for returning the deck in the opposite direction and means for retarding the return motion of the deck and means for energizing said electromagnetic means in timed relation to the means for establishing vacuum and pressure conditions above the bed.

--8. In apparatus for classifying a mixture of materialsaccording to specific gravity, a closed compartment, means for supporting a bed of materials to be separated comprising a reciproeating inclined stepped deck mounted in said compartment with the faces of the steps facing the higher end thereof, means for establishing successively vacuum and pressure conditions above said deck, means. for imparting differentialreclprocating motion to said deck in the plane thereof, said means being effective to advance said deck relatively slowly in the facing direction or the steps thereof and to retract the direction of the lower end thereof, resilient means for returning the deck in the opposite direction and means for retarding the return motion or the 5. In apparatus for classifying a mixture of materials according to specific gravity,.a closed compartment, a reciprocating inclined stepped ,dcck mounted in said compartment with the faces of the steps facing the higher end thereof, means for establishing successively vacuum and pressure conditions above said deck, means for imparting differential reciprocating motion to said deck in the plane thereof, said means comprising cam means for advancing said deck relatively slowly in the direction of the higher end thereof and resilient means for returning said deckquickly in the opposite direction, and means deck rapidly in the opposite direction in timed relation to establishment of said vacuum and pressure conditions, the timing being correlated so that the retraction of said deck occurs dur- 'ing the establishment of a vacuum condition above said deck whereby the retraction of said deck is effected without producing retrograde movement of heavy particles in contact with said deck, means for withdrawing heavy separated productsfrom-the bottom or the bed of materials adjacent thehigher end of said deck,

means for withdrawing separated middlings from adjacent the bottom of the bed of materials at the lower end of said deck, means for withdrawing lighter separated products from the top of the bed adjacent the lower end of the deck, and means for adjusting the rate oi middlings withdrawal independently of the rate of withdrawal of the lighter separated products.

9. In apparatus for classifying a mixture of materials according to specific gravity, a closed compartment, means for supporting a bed or materials to be separated comprising a reciprocating inclined stepped deck mounted in said compartment with the races 91' the steps facing the higher end thereof, means for establishing successively vacuum and pressure conditions above said deck, means for imparting diflermovement of heavy particles in contact with said deck, means for withdrawing heavy separated products i'rom the bottom of the bed adiacent the higher end said deck, means for withdrawing separated middlings from adjacent the bottom of the bed adjacent the lower end of said deck, means for withdrawing lighter separated products from the top of the bed adjacent the lower end of the deck, said middlings withdrawal means comprising a star wheel extractor and adjustable drive 'means for adjusting the rate of rotation of said star wheel extractor whereby to adjust the rate or middlings withdrawal independently of the rates or withdrawal of the heavy separated products and of the lighter separated products.

10. In apparatus for classifying a mixture or materials according to specific gravity. a closed compartment, a reciprocating inclined stepped deck mounted in said compartment with the faces of the steps racing the higher end thereof,'means tor establishing successively vacuum and pressure conditions above said deck, means for imparting diflerential reciprocating motion to said deck in the plane thereof, said means be ing efiective to advance said deck relatively slowly in the facing direction of the steps thereof and to retract the deck rapidly in the opposite direction in timed relation to establishment of said vacuum and pressure conditions, the timing being correlated so that the retraction oi said deck occurs during the establishment or avacuum condition above said deck whereby the retraction of said deck is effected without producing retrograde movement of heavy particles in contact with said deck, discharge chutes for delivering or heavy material from the bottom of the bed ad- Jacent the upper end of said deck, middlings from adjacent the bottom of the bed at the lower end of said deck and light material from the upper part of the bed at the latter end, rotatable star wheel extractors in each or said chutes to maintain a sealing body of separated materials in said discharge chutes against admission;

of air into said compartment through said chutes, and means for adjusting the speed at least of the star extractor in the middlings discharge chute independently of the speeds of the other extractors.

JEAN ALBERT BRUSBET. 

